Fighting the Threat of Quantum Computers

Fighting the Threat of Quantum Computers

Is your organization prepared for the post-quantum shift? The rise of quantum computers is on the horizon, and this inevitable threat stands to break public key cryptography as we know it.

Quantum technology is still in the early stages of development but are already seeing an upward trend. Quantum computers differ from classical computers in today’s landscape because of their ability to process data exponentially quicker than previously capable. Quantum computers process data in quantum bits, also known as qubits, while classical computers process data in binary.

Once quantum computers become more widespread, they will be capable of breaking common cryptographic methods used today, such as RSA, ECC, or Diffie-Hellman, simply because of how quickly they can calculate solutions. This is concerning for every organization whose security depends on public key cryptography and particularly serious for long-lifespan Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as satellites, automobiles, and critical infrastructure components that rely on cryptography for code signing. This is why Futurex has come up with a solution.

Today Futurex announced a hybrid quantum systems solution to help enterprises, IoT device manufacturers, government agencies, and others prepare for the onset of quantum computing. This solution is the first of its kind, as Futurex is the first company to create a post-quantum hybrid certificate authority solution that is integrated within a FIPS 140-2 Level 3-validated hardware security module (HSM). Note that this functionality is not yet available and is still in the process of production, but information about the functionalities of the KMES Series 3 are available online.

With this hybrid approach, organizations will simultaneously issue certificates that use both quantum-safe and traditional cryptographic algorithms. That way, they can continue operating without impact to their existing ecosystem. The hybrid solution incorporates quantum-safe cryptography and standardized X.509 digital certificate technology from ISARA Corporation, the world’s leading provider of quantum-safe and crypto-agile security.

This is the first post in a three-part series on quantum computing and what it holds for the future. Next week, you can read about the role of quantum computers in society. For more information, please visit www.futurex.com.